SAUDIS AGREE TO EXPAND U.S. DEFENSE TIES - MORE US ARMS?

WASHINGTON [MENL] -- Saudi Arabia is said to have agreed to expand defense
and military cooperation with the United States in what could pave the way
for major U.S. weapons sales to the Arabian kingdom.

U.S. officials said Saudi Arabia has agreed to the expanded cooperation
after more than two years of deteriorating defense and military ties
accelerated by the Sept. 11, 2001 Al Qaida attacks on New York and
Washington. Fifteen of the 19 Al Qaida attackers were Saudi nationals.

The Saudi willingness to expand military relations was relayed to the Bush
administration over the past few weeks. U.S. officials cited the toppling of
the regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and the withdrawal of virtually
all U.S. soldiers from Saudi Arabia.

The first stage of the expanded cooperation will focus on U.S. training of
Saudi forces. The United States has proposed training of Saudi junior land
force officers in a program designed to deepen the relations between the
U.S. Army and the Saudi Army.
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